Live by the sword, die by the sword

Tuesday

Jun 13, 2017 at 10:53 AMJun 13, 2017 at 10:54 AM

Angela VallesContributed Content

As you know, we have had more than our share of police-involved shootings and an increase in crime in the Victor Valley. Another troubling fact is in the Town of Apple Valley has not increased officers patrolling our neighborhoods in over a decade despite the increase in crime and population.

Police officers are human beings and they deserve to go home to their families and loved ones after work just like anyone else.

If a cop pulls you over, follow the classic advice given by Patrick Swayze’s character James Dalton in the movie “Road House”: Be nice.

Maybe it is because my husband is a retired law enforcement officer and so I have a heightened degree of appreciation for the fear and uncertainty they face on a daily basis. Maybe it is because my husband has shared stories that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Or maybe as a former prison warden, I know firsthand how difficult it is dealing with the most dangerous individuals on a daily basis.

If I am ever pulled over by an officer, I immediately place my hands on the steering wheel and wait for them to approach. I want to do everything I can to decrease the stress and fear of uncertainty that they may be feeling.

And not just because I want to ensure my safety. I also want to demonstrate my respect for them and that I am cognizant of the challenges they face.

What happened to our society? Why is it now commonplace for citizens to automatically take a hostile tone and posture towards police officers simply because they pull you over?

What caused this level of disrespect to creep into our civilized society? Why can’t we treat each other with more dignity, courtesy and respect?

I am sick and tired of the media making sympathetic figures out of individuals who brought violent encounters with police officers upon themselves.

You want to get mouthy or belligerent, you are needlessly escalating the situation. A police officer is going to appropriately respond to that escalation in an effort to take control of the situation.

If you continue to act more provocatively, you are putting yourself at risk because you are putting the officer at risk.

If you encroach upon an officer’s personal space in some menacing manner, you are asking for trouble.

If you pull a weapon of some sort, especially a firearm, then you are putting your life at risk.

It is an incomprehensibly dumb gamble to force a police officer to ever calculate whether or not his life is more valuable than yours. This isn’t rocket science. If you play stupid games, you are going to win stupid prizes.

Are there bad apples in uniform? Of course, and they should be punished severely for violating that trust given to them by society.

The human condition is a fact of life. But, we have a system designed to deal with them. Just because there are bad apples it doesn’t give you the right to assume the worst of every officer, disrespect them and then go crying to anyone who will listen when you want to present yourself as some martyr or victim of police brutality.

It doesn’t help that the news media is seemingly eager to present each victim of police brutality as the next Nobel Peace Prize winner when we readily know and understand them to be criminal or menace to society.

It certainly doesn’t help to riot, burn down stores, neighborhoods and invoke violence over perceived injustices.

Let’s never forget our police are our domestic peacekeepers and sometimes they are called upon to be soldiers who put their life on the line everyday to protect you and your family’s safety.

Let’s be smart and avoid all this by simply being nice and respect the authority of the badge.

I cannot stress to you the importance to teach your children and grandchildren respect for authority. I have seen it time and time again in my correctional career the lack of strong leadership and parenting in the home. Let’s set the example for our next generation.

If you have a complaint or feel you were mistreated, there are processes set in place for you to seek redress.

And remember, this is not a race thing, this is a respect thing.

If you have suggestions on subjects or comments please contact me at AngelaValles411@gmail.com